XN000022-1985-07-12 — Page 10

F-IDAY JULY 12, 1985

HONG KONG'S DECISION TO ENTER EXPO '86 IS INFLUENCED BY THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS:

*

THE VENUE, TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE KEY POSITION OF VANCOUVER ON THE WESTERN SEABOARD OF THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT, ITS CLOSE LINKS WITH HONG KONG AND ITS COMMON INTEREST IN THE FAST DEVELOPING PACIFIC REGION.

THE THEME OF THE EXPOSITION, WHICH IS CONCERNED WITH TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TWO OF THE PRINCIPAL FACTORS ACCOUNTING FOR HONG KONG'S PREDOMINANT ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FINANCE.

* THE TIMING OF THE EVENT, WHICH COINCIDES WITH RENEWED

CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG FOLLOWING UPON THE JOINT

DECLARATION BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA AND THEIR MUTUAL DETERMINATION TO ENSURE ITS CONTINUED PROSPERITY.

REPRESENTED ON THE HONG KONG EXPO '86 CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ARE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION, HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK, CABLE AND WIRELESS LIMITED, THE SWIRE GROUP AND THE SING TAO NEWSPAPER GROUP.

GREAT CHANCE FOR VISIBILITY IN EXPO '86

****

HONG KONG WILL HAVE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR GREATER VISIBILITY AT THE RIGHT TIME BY TAKING PART IN EXPO '86 IN VANCOUVER - +JUST WHEN WE NEED IT+ THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, MR PETER MOSS, SAID TODAY.

+MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, HONG KONG WILL BE IN EXPO NEXT YEAR, HE TOLD MEMBERS OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON NORTH AT LUNCH TODAY.

+ONE IMPORTANT MESSAGE WE WANT TO CONVEY TO THE WORLD IS THAT WHEN THE EARTH SPINS ON ITS AXIS, AND WHEN LONDON, AND THEN NE≫ YORK, HAVE SERVED THEIR SHIFTS AS WORLD MONEY MARKETS AND CLOSED DOWN FOR THE NIGHT, THE SUN IS SHINING HERE ON HONG KONG, AND WE'RE THE ONES IN CHARGE,+ MR MOSS SAID.

+MANY HAVE ALREADY GOT THAT MESSAGE. OTHERS HAVE STILL TO LEARN IT, HE SAID.

TIMING WAS ONE OF THE THREE REASONS WHICH MADE EXPO '86, WHICH WILL BE HELD BETWEEN MAY 2 AND OCTOBER 13, ESPECIALLY ATTRACTIVE TO HONG KONG.

THE OTHER REASONS WERE THE VENUE AND THE THEME, MR MOSS SAID.

+FOR EXPO '86 WILL BE STAGED IN VANCOUVER, A CITY SO POPULATEJ WITH OUR EMIGRANTS THAT IF MY CANADIAN FRIENDS WILL PERMIT ME A SLIGHT EXAGGERATION IT IS ALMOST A SATELLITE OF HONG KONG,

/+AT ANY

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